Vegan Watermelon Sushi Recipe
This is my watermelon sushi, or some may call it a watermelon tuna recipe.
Completely vegan and full of flavour, the way watermelon can transform in this way, is just remarkable. The first time I tried this, I just couldn’t believe the texture and flavour. It feels like fresh raw tuna and has all the umami notes from our miso of course. I created this tasty recipe for Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch (Airing 28 August 2022).
We love to have this over a bowl of rice with avocado and mango, as a nice summery poke bowl too. It is surprisingly simple to make - just chop the flesh of 1 small to medium watermelon into 1 inch cubes, roast until they are compact and juicy then marinade overnight. So easy, and requires only a few ingredients.
This watermelon sashimi can be enjoyed on a poke bowl, in sushi rolls, or simply sliced and added to a salad and will certainly surprise your guests at a barbecue.
This will become a summer staple, just keep it cool in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are vegan, this is a fabulous addition to any summery or BBQ meal, and will certainly impress and surprise your guests. TRY THIS NOW and remember to share with us your creations on @misotasty!
In this recipe, I have used a Spanish watermelon for its smaller size and lower number of seeds to pick out, and more compact texture… but you can use any watermelon really.
Vegan Watermelon Sushi Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- First slice the watermelon into long wedges about 6 inches by 3 inches by 3 inches. These will shrink considerably!
- In a large non-stick roasting tin, place the pieces without any oil on the tray, leaving space between each piece. Spread across two trays if possible, giving each piece plenty of room.
- Roast for 60 minutes in a hot oven of 180°C fan. The watermelon will shrink to about 250g of cooked flesh and be bright red. If it is a little charred around the edges, don’t worry.
- In a mixing bowl, gather all the marinade ingredients apart from the seaweed and mix until smooth, taking care for the miso paste to not have any lumps. Now add the cooled watermelon flesh then store the watermelon and the marinade in a sealable container.
- Sprinkle the seaweed on top and give it a final mix and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove each “fillet” and place on a chopping board and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds.
- With a sharp knife, slice the watermelon diagonally to create even pieces of watermelon sashimi.
- Enjoy on rice, in a salad, or simply on its own like sashimi.
Notes
*The marinade above is for 200g of roasted watermelon flesh, try not to over-do it, as it can taste too strong; the cooked watermelon takes on the flavour very easily and quickly.